Midfielder Alex Iwobi at the pre-match press conference in Abidjan on Thursday. Credit: NFF.
In the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final match today, Senegalese referee Issa Sy has been appointed to officiate the showdown between Nigeria and Angola at the Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan.
Accompanying Sy will be fellow countrymen Djibril Camara and Nouha Bangoura as assistant referee 1 and assistant referee 2, respectively. The role of the fourth official will be held by Mauritanian official Abdel Aziz Bouh, while Modibo Samake from Mali is set to serve as the reserve assistant referee. Additionally, Ahmad Nazeer Hossen Bowud from Mauritius and Ali Mohamed Ahmed from Somalia will take on the roles of commissioner and referee assessor, respectively.
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Scheduled to kick off at 5 pm Cote d’Ivoire time (6 pm Nigeria time), the match holds significance as Nigeria and Angola rarely meet on the soccer field, with only a few senior-level clashes between the two nations in the past.
Nigeria previously triumphed over Angola to secure a spot in the final round of the qualification series for the 1990 FIFA World Cup finals (2-2 in Luanda and 1-0 in Lagos). However, Angola turned the tables during the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification series, defeating Nigeria 1-0 in Luanda and drawing 1-1 in Kano to secure their lone appearance in the World Cup finals.
Nigeria’s goalkeeper, Stanley Nwabali, is declared fit to start the quarter-final encounter, although Coach Jose Peseiro has hinted at potential caution in fielding him if he’s not fully fit for the match.
The winner of Friday’s showdown will advance to face the victor of the clash between Cape Verde’s Blue Sharks and South Africa’s Bafana Bafana in the semi-finals, set to take place at the Stade de la Paix in Bouake.
What’s your prediction for this match?
